Between now and the end of the year, the municipality of Eindhoven and MVRDV will test various paving materials in the Eindhoven city centre. The municipality has established several paving test sections on the Demer and Nieuwstraat. "After more than 25 years, the current public space has become obsolete. We are striving for a newly decorated inner city where everyone feels at home and simultaneously experiences the feeling that they are in the heart of Brainport Eindhoven. Because the pavement forms the basis for this, it is important to make good, well-considered choices", explains alderman Jan van der Meer.

In 2017, the municipality appointed Winy Maas, architect and co-founder of MVRDV, as a supervisor for the Eindhoven city centre. "It is my role to show what is possible,” he says. “Eindhoven has an international reputation as a city. However, the city center is very small, is relatively sparsely populated, and has a chronic lack of greenery. Also, the current pavement is not unified and outdated. I think it is essential to make connections in an enlarged city centre, by choosing green construction as a foundation—by using evergreen trees for example—with coherent paving and public design."

Boeiende Binnenstad

The trial pavements and test planting are part of the project Boeiende Binnenstad (“Exciting Inner City”). The aim of the project is to redesign several shopping streets and the Stratumseind beginning from the end of 2019. The choices made based on the test pavement will also apply to future refurbishment of other streets in the city center. 

The municipality has established three test sections in order to carry out a broad assessment of the paving materials on aspects of appearance, durability/use and management/maintenance. The locations of the test sections are on the Demer and Nieuwstraat. This autumn a third test section will be constructed on the Vestdijk-Noord (between 18 Septemberplein and Nieuwstraat). At these locations, the public can experience an overall picture of the intended redesign, including elements such as bicycle parking, greenery and lighting.

Take a look at the Demer

In the test section on the Demer, the pavement is laid as it is intended for the new design of the inner city. Starting from Thursday 25 October, Eindhoven residents who are interested in the new design will have the opportunity to learn about the test pavement via guided tours. Alderman Jan van der Meer and supervisor Winy Maas will kick off the meeting between 11:00 am and 11:30 am. The tours take place during DDW and the week after. More information can be found on eindhoven.nl/boeiendebinnenstad.